The present invention relates to a quick connect apparel closure assembly, commonly referred to as a snap buckle, usable on apparel such as bicycle helmets and the like and is constructed to prevent the inadvertent compression of skin or tissue during operation of the buckle.
Many items of apparel are commonly provided with various closure assemblies including zippers, snaps, and buckles. Each of these various closure assemblies has various applications. Head apparel, such as helmets, are commonly provided with buckle assemblies that interconnect respective ends of a strap system that secures the helmet to the head of a wearer. Commonly, such buckles are constructed for single handed operation and/or convenient operation such that capable children can conveniently operate the buckle closure. Such helmets are common in work and sport environments wherein the wearer's head is intended to be protected from incidental or accidental contacts or impacts. It is not uncommon for individuals to wear protective helmets or headgear when riding bicycles, horseback riding, skiing, snowboarding, skating, or when engaged in other sporting activities such as football, baseball, hockey, skating, etc. Such protective headgear is also common in many industrial environments such as foundry, forestry, mining, construction, and other industrial and commercial endeavors.
Many of the snap buckles associated with such head gear commonly include a male portion and a female portion that slidably cooperate with one another. Once fully translated relative to one another in the operating direction, a spring tab or other latch mechanism commonly snap fittingly cooperates with a catch so as to positionally secure the first buckle portion relative to the second buckle portion. Subsequent user interaction with at least one of the latch mechanism or the catch is required to effectuate disengagement of the first and second buckle portions from one another. Many such buckle systems are selectively operable by concurrent user interaction with a pair of spring tabs positioned on generally opposite lateral sides of the buckle. Two or single handled pinching action by the user compresses both spring tabs toward a position wherein the respective portions of the buckle assembly can be disengaged from one another. Both the slidable interaction of the buckle portions and the pinching interaction to effectuate operation of the latching mechanism presents the undesirable potential for pinching the users skin or tissue as the first and second buckle portions are introduced into one another or by the inadvertent inclusion of skin between the tabs and the fingers of the wearer during manipulation of the latch and/or catch mechanisms.
Although most adult users can visually inspect a buckle system and readily assess the operation of the same to minimize the potential of undesired pinching, even most adults are susceptible to hurried or somewhat inattentive operation of the buckle system and the resultant pinching. Adult manipulation of such buckle assemblies on those who cannot effectively operate the buckle systems, such as younger children, presents the same undesirable pinching potential to a child during adult manipulation of the buckle portions and/or the latch or catch systems.
Others having recognized the shortcomings discussed above provide buckle systems have elongated guide portions that extend from either of the first or second portion of the buckle to provide and overlapping arrangement of the first and second portions of the buckle to mitigate the pinch potential associated with the longitudinal operational translation of the first and second buckle portions. Such systems however do not address or otherwise resolve the inadvertent pinching of the users skin caused during operation of the latch or catch mechanism. Still others provide extraneous guards or shields that must be positionally associated with the buckle and extend in a generally planar manner from various sides of the buckle. Such guard systems are commonly formed of flexible materials, such as cloth, and are susceptible to slippage or undesired movement of the guard during use of the helmet. The flexible nature of the guard also presents the undesired possibility of pinching the skin or tissue of the wearer, not between the fingers of the user and the structure of the buckle, but between the fingers and underlying portions of the guard.
Another drawback of both such systems is the increased footprint associated with the guide or shield and the close proximity of such systems to the wearer. During many athletic and/or work related activities that require the wearer to exert themselves, supporting interaction with more rigid structures such as closure buckles can produce undesired discomfort and/or irritation to the wearer. Enlarged footprints or contact areas attributable to such structures can detract from wearer cooling attributable to perspiration and tend to exacerbate discomfort or irritation attributable to the closure assembly. When used in helmet applications, such considerations can be further exacerbated via their location about the head or face area of the wearer.
Accordingly, regardless of the shape and/or intended use of the item of apparel, there is a need for an apparel closure system that can be quickly and conveniently operated by a user and in a manner that mitigates at least one or more of the pinching concerns discussed above. There is a further need for such an apparel closure system that mitigates the pinching aspects and does not unduly cover or interact with portions of the wearer.